And shop workers also serve veterans -- and others -- with specific needs.

"Anyone who needs help, we will support them," said shop charity coordinator Jennifer Chambers. "That includes people like battered women, foster parents, those who have lost their home."

The volunteers at the thrift shop often spend time driving veterans to their doctors, sometimes as far away as Asheville or Raleigh. Veteran benefits will only pay for certain kinds of doctors, so sometimes the only way for a veteran to receive that benefit is if transportation is made available to visit a care center outside the county, Chambers said.

“We haven’t always been the nicest to our troops or our veterans, and this is a way for us to give back to the community,” said Chambers. “There’s a lot of local concern for veterans and this is an issue that I feel very personal towards.”

Chambers has big hopes for the future of the store.

“I really hope that this charity will grow to thousands of locations nationally and serve veterans outside of Cleveland County,” she said.

United Veterans Thrift Shop is one of a growing number of thrift shops in Cleveland County, including Goodwill, Cleveland County Rescue Mission, Crossroads Rescue Mission and Hospice of Cleveland County thrift shops.

“Everything that we do for the veterans is free, and all of the money that we make goes to them,” Chambers said. “But we can only help them when we have the money to do so.”